The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-03

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stead was utterly unconacious that he was
making this conversation a monologue.
All three started In surprise as the
bugle call for tattoo, sounded through
I tho open windows Lieut. Halstead arose
asking him to return because she remem-
bered her daughters aversion to the
}1Thirty first regiment.
- Rhodora, repenting OF her GOODNESS, 40
fcompanied the lieutenant to the door.
Thank You for a delightful evening"
(! he said heartily.
Rhodora considered this a reflection
upon her manner, but when he said
eagerly: uAre you busy, will you be en-.
gagged after tattoolm she answered with
charming candor: ~ have some letters
to write.'' But she never touched pen to
paper that night; she sat by her window
in the moonlight star gazing, and when
she fell aSeep she had romantic dreams Of
g. cabbage with gold shoul der straps dane
ing attendance to sick mouse covered
with mustard poultces dipped in catsup.
The next morning, as Miss Rhodora
came down the hotel steps attired for her
usual morning walk, she nearly ran into
Lieut.. sHslstead. l!g'.
Good morning, - he said; ~ was COM
Ing up to ask If you would not go out for
q walk with me, 1t Is such beautiful
day. - = $50, s. =
Poor Rhodoral something always
seemed to interfere with her dignity and
make it impossible for her to effectually
snub this fascinating man, for she con-
fessed TO herself that he was fascinating,
and his air just nows was q little deter
mined, as though he had a perfect right
to say she should walk with him. This
manner In any one else would have an
noyed her, but she was proud Of the in
terest that this usually Indifferent man
manifested in her, and Is was more than
ever pleasing when she remembered that
at first he had not desired an 1ntroduc-
ton. She became generous enough to
think he had some good reason for not
wishing to meet Detroit girl; yet what
could il be? But she had heard that re-
Gently he had promised willingly to pay
/. the wager If one Of the officers would In
troduce him, but they, enjoying the joke,
had each declined, and when he thought
) of asking ono Of his friends aG the hotel
he had chanced to hear Miss Blacks re-
mark:to,M Mrs: Mason.
Rhodora- meant, now that she knew
him, be rigid in her manner. She
wished to be severe and dpunish him II she
could. AT present he hsd taken her un-
awares, and she allowed him to accom-
pany her; but they did not take the. walk
along the locks that she had intended; he
led her to the shade Of the woods, and
they came back laden with MOSES and
wild flowers. People are apt to drop
drawing room conyentionalities IL the
freedom Of open air intercourse, and be-
fore they returned the lieutenant had told
her that his aversion to Detroit girls was
IN altogether sympathetic affair, caused
by his particular friend having been
Tilted by one Of these fair girls, and he
+ had then and there declared he knew
them to be heartless. He admitted that
it was an unpardonably hasty and posi-
bly, unjust conclusion. Hetold her when
he had first seen her on the steamer deck
with her opera glass up, and she explained
that being nearsighted and not wearing
glasses she always carried an opera glass
when travelling. IF yon had nosiced,"
she said, ssyou would have seen my glasses
were TUNED wrong side TO that time.
wanted the Sault to look as small and far
away possible, f" and then she explained
why she did not wish to visit the Sault
this year.
He regretted her disapp ppointment, but
corld not say he was sorry the regiment
changed places.
When the dinner hour came Rhodora
insisted upon her mother proceeding Inn
meGiately to the table. It was ridicu-
lously unromantic, but after this the lieu
tenant and Rhodora wer5 always on time
to their meals.
Several weeks had passed when one
bright afternoon Miss Black received
bunch OF passionate purple rhodoras, and
In their midst there lay this little note:
"AIobal
ssWiu you wear these for my sake' I
found them In the woods. Perhaps you
know this little poem, ~ and below he had
written these few lines from Emerson's
"Rhodora":
Rhodora! II the sages ask thee why
This charm Is wasted on the earth and shy,
Tell them, dear, that II eyes were made for sec
ing,
Then beauty is its own excuse for being
Why thou vert there, o rival OF the rosel
never thought to ask, Inever knew;
But, In my simple ignorance, suppose
The SELF same power that brought me there
brought you.
He had underscored two words-mo and
you. She reread the lines, and then,
strange woman, she passtonately kissed
the flowers but tore the note into little
shreds and threw it away.
At the dinner table that night she wore
bunch Of purple rhodoras In her white
gown, but Lieut.. Halstead could not get
glimpse of those wonderful gray eyes,
the eyes that ngbtened, ttlat smiled, that
grew sad, that were unfathomable, that
tonight were continually veiled by the
dark curling lashes. .=..
It was unusually warm IN Detroit this
summer, and Mr.. Black was anxious to
speedily arrange his business affairs that
he might join his wife and daughter soon
after their nj .ival at the Sault, butt was
quite nine weeks before he was able to do
80.
They came down to the boat to meet
him, and ne was mystided by the anxious
manner Of the one and the serious air OF
the other.
The morning after Mr. Blacks arrival
Lieut. Halstead might be seen inpatient
ly pacing to and fro in the cozy room that
served as tho Black sitting room. The
door was gently opened and Miss Rhodora
came In fresh and smiling, her eyes
twinkling with suppressed laughter.
sat lastp' exclaimed the lieutenant,
his face radiant, as he held out both hands
to meet her.
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